Ch. 22: The Mutiny of the Mavericks - Page 2

street. They value their greasy hides.' He was the drag upon the wheel,
and an Americanised Irishman of the second generation, despising his own
race and hating the other. He had learned caution.

The third man drank his cocktail and spoke no word. He was the
strategist, but unfortunately his knowledge of life was limited. He
picked a letter from his breast-pocket and threw it across the table.
That epistle to the heathen contained some very concise directions from
the First Three in New York. It said--

'The boom in black iron has already affected the eastern markets, where
our agents have been forcing down the English-held stock among the
smaller buyers who watch the turn of shares. Any immediate operations,
such as western bears, would increase their willingness to unload. This,
however, cannot be expected till they see clearly that foreign iron-
masters are witting to co-operate. Mulcahy should be dispatched to feel
the pulse of the market, and act accordingly. Mavericks are at present
the best for our purpose.--P.D.Q.'

As a message referring to an iron crisis in Pennsylvania, it was
interesting, if not lucid. As a new departure in organised attack on an
outlying English dependency, it was more than interesting.

The second man read it through and murmured--

'Already? Surely they are in too great a hurry. All that Dhulip Singh
could do in India he has done, down to the distribution of his
photographs among the peasantry. Ho! Ho! The Paris firm arranged that,
and he has no substantial money backing from the Other Power. Even our
agents in India know he hasn't. What is the use of our organisation
wasting men on work that is already done? Of course the Irish regiments
in India are half mutinous as they stand.'

This shows how near a lie may come to the truth. An Irish regiment, for
just so long as it stands still, is generally a hard handful to control,
being reckless and rough. When, however, it is moved in the direction of
musketry-firing, it becomes strangely and unpatriotically content with
its lot. It has even been heard to cheer the Queen with enthusiasm on
these occasions.

But the notion of tampering with the army was, from the point of view of
Tehama Street, an altogether sound one. There is no shadow of stability
in the policy of an English Government, and the most sacred oaths of
England would, even if engrossed on vellum, find very few buyers among
colonies and dependencies that have suffered from vain beliefs. But
there remains to England always her army. That cannot change except in
the matter of uniform and equipment. The officers may write to the
papers demanding the heads of the Horse Guards in default of cleaner
redress for grievances; the men may break